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States » EastPosted at: May 31 2025 10:55PM


Search and rescue operations for eight missing persons in Sikkim hampered due to rain

Gangtok, May 31 (UNI) Search and rescue operations for eight persons, including four women, who were missing after a tourist vehicle carrying 11 persons plunged into the river Teesta near Chubombu on May 29 night, was hampered today due to torrential rain and swelling of the river.
According to a list issued by the Sikkim government, the eight missing persons included four from Odisha, two each from Uttar Pradesh and Tripura.
Odisha Mahila Morcha leader Itishri Jena from Jajpur was in the list of the missing persons.
The accident occurred while they were heading to Lachung.
Their chances of survival are very less, sources said.
Out of the 11, while one body was recovered, two others were rescued and admitted to a hospital in Gangtok.
Sikkim government identified the missing persons as Ajit Kumar Nayak, Sunita Nayak, Sahil Jena, and Itshiri Jena from Odisha, Debjyoti Joy Dev, Swapnanil Deb from Tripura, Kaushalendra Pratap Singh, and Ankita Singh from Uttar Pradesh.
It appears that the members of the three families had hired a Sikkim-registered vehicle jointly for travelling in north Sikkim.
"As per the latest update received from the office of District Collector, Mangan, the Lachen road Axis is completely cut off due to heavy rainfall induced by cloud burst in the area. The water level in river Teesta has increased. The Lachung road Axis was also closed since last night and was restored today evening. The road from Pegong (Chungthang) to Phidang via Shipgyer, Sangkalang is closed due to multiple landslides," the government release said.
The NDRF, along with an additional fresh batch of SDRF initiated the search and rescue operation at the site of the accident, but due to the rise in water level of the river, the rescue operation could not be continued. Further, the bad weather condition halted the rescue operations.
District Collector, Mangan, Anant Jain is presently stationed in the area and personally monitoring the search efforts and the road conditions.

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police, Mangan, Sonam Detchu Bhutia has confirmed that four Identity cards and six mobile phones, have been recovered by the search and rescue team from the river banks near the accident site.
Out of 11 persons in the vehicle, two persons, both from Odisha, named Swayam Supratim Nayak and Sairaj Jena, were rescued on the night of the accident (May 29) and are undergoing treatment at STNM Hospital Gangtok.

The driver has been identified as Passang Denu Sherpa from Singhik, North Sikkim.
As per the official update from SP Mangan, at present, around 115 tourists are lodged in Lachen, and around 1,350 tourists are staying in Lachung.
Since the exit from both axes is closed due to landslides at multiple locations, the tourists have been advised to remain in their hotels, and once the roads are completely opened, they shall be evacuated.
The electricity supply disrupted since yesterday afternoon was restored this evening. Drinking water supply for the entire Chungthang has been disrupted and efforts are underway to restore it by tomorrow. The mobile network was disrupted since last evening and was restored after 3 pm today.
UNI PC BD RN
Tags: #Search and rescue operations for eight missing persons in Sikkim hampered due to rain
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